Color postcard map of Belgium, its provinces, railroad lines (?), major towns and cities, and North Sea coast and borders with the Netherlands, Germany, Luxemburg, and France. Insets show City Hall in the capital of Brussels, a view from the water of the port of Antwerp, and the Remy factory.

Text in French and Dutch:

"Il n'est pas de meilleur Amidon que l'Amidon REMY, Fabrique de Riz Pur."

and

"Er bestaat geenen beteren Stijfsel dan den Stijfsel REMY, Vervaardigd met Zuiveren Rijst."

(There is no better starch than Remy Starch, made of pure rice.)

Other views: Larger, Back

Belgium gained its independence in the Revolution of 1830, breaking from the Netherlands. Its independence and neutrality were recognized by the London Treaties of 1830 and 1839, with signatories including France, Great Britain, and the German Confederation. The country is bounded by Netherlands to the north, Germany and neutral Luxembourg to the east, the North Sea to the west, and France to the south. It consisted of a Flemish-speaking north and a Walloon-speaking south. French was the language of government.

A constitutional monarchy, Belgium had a bicameral Parliament with a Senate and Chamber of Representatives. King Albert I had acceded to the throne on the death of his uncle in 1909. Solely for defense, the Belgian Army was being reorganized in 1914.

In 1914, claiming France intended to attack her through Belgium, Germany requested passage of its armies through Belgium to pre-empt France. Belgium refused, asserting its neutrality and intent to defend itself. Violating the border the prior night, German forces invaded Belgium on August 4. Belgian resistance, particularly at the fortress city of Liège, slowed Germany's anticipated swift advance.

Overwhelmed in the field, Belgian forces retreated to the fortress of Antwerp, tying down two German army corps during the Battle of the Marne. Defeated at the Marne, Germany besieged Antwerp, taking the city on October 9. Belgian forces retreated along the coast to fight the Battle of Flanders. The inundation that ended the Battle of the Yser left Belgians holding a small corner of their otherwise conquered country.

Belgium was the site of the Second Battle of Ypres (1915) and Third Ypres, the Battle of Passchendaele (1917).

Belgian resistance to German occupation was primarily Walloon.

The Kingdom of Belgium is a country in Europe.

Statistics for Belgium (2)

Type	Statistic
Land Area	11,373 Sq. Miles.
Population	7,423,784

Some places in The Kingdom of Belgium (9)

Click to View	Location Type
Antwerp	City
Brussels	City
Dinant	City
Flanders	Region
Furnes	City
Liege	City
Mons	City
Namur	City
Ypres	City

Some people from Belgium (2)

Last Name	First Name	Full Name	Role
Albert I of Belgium	Albert	Albert I
Coppens	Willy	Willy Coppens

Some books about Belgium (8)

Title	Author Last Name	Author First Name
Belgium and Holland Including the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg	Baedeker	Karl
Through the Iron Bars	Cammaerts	Emile
Flying in Flanders	Coppens	Willy
Welcome to Flanders Fields, Ypres, 1915	Dancock
Military Operations France and Belgium, 1914, Vol. I, August to October	Edmonds	J. E.
Military Operations France and Belgium, 1914, Vol. II, October-November	Edmonds	J. E.
A Journal from our Legation in Belgium	Gibson	Hugh
In Flanders Flooded Fields: Before Ypres there Was Yser	van Pul	Paul